History and education of Chandannagar, a complete tourist guide
A former french colony, Chandannagar has history whispering all over it. We have explored the education and colleges in Chandannagar on its journey from a small town to a booming city.
Chandannagar is a small town located along the banks of the River Ganges. It is around 30 kilometers north of Calcutta, in West Bengal, India. Chandannagar has often been called the city of Liberty because she has always been able to stand out from the rest of the towns and give herself a separate identity. The rich cultural heritage and beauty has always attracted people from all over the world. This town is aged over a period of 300 years and its unique blend of culture and heritage makes it unparallel in history.
History of Chandannagar
There are lots of theories behind the derivation of the name Chandannagar. The name of Chandannagar had previously been Farasdanga because the town had been a French colony. The name Chandannagar has probably derived from the shape of the bank of the River Ganges which is bent like a half moon ('Chand' means moon and 'Nagar' implies city). Some others think that it might even have been taken from the flourishing business of sandal wood (Bengali: Chandan) at that time. Unlike the rest of India, Chandannagar was not under the British rule but a French settlement. That is why many Indian liberationists preferred to hide here in historical buildings of Chandannagar such as the Galakuthi. The French came to Chandannagar for the first time in 1673. It was during that time that all the famous Heritage and tourist sites of Chandannagar was built, namely the French Museum, Chandannagar strand, The Sacred Heart Church or The Chandannagar church, The Underground House (Patal Bari), Ancient Temples, Residence of famous Personalities, Nritya Gopal Smriti Mandir etc.Education in Chandannagar
It was during the French rule itself that a number of educational institutes in Chandannagar grew up for both girls and boys. The Chandannagar Govt. college is one of the most famous colleges under the Burdwan University. This is the only college where the French language is even taught and an undergraduate degree is offered for it. Some of the other colleges in Chandannagar are Khalishani Mahavidyalaya, Institute of Education (P.G) for women, Chandernagore, and Women's Polytechnic College.
Among the boys schools in Chandannagar, the Kanailal Vidyamandir is quite a name among all West Bengal board schools. Every year this school comes out with stunning results. This school also consists of a separate branch which is called the Kanailal Vidyamandir (French). Some of the other schools are Durga Charan Rakshit Bangavidyalaya, Chandannagar Banga Vidyalaya, Adarsha Shikshalaya, Prabartak Boys, Ganges Gurukul, Khalishani Vidya Mandir.
The St. Joseph's Convent, Chandannagar occupies a pride of place among the girls school in Chandannagar. It was formed by the French under the coordination of the sisters of Cluny. This school provides an all round development to all its students. St. Anthony's High school and St.Mary's are the other two schools managed by the same constitution. Apart from these the other girls schools in Chandannagar are namely, Krishna Bhabini Nari Siksha Mandir, LalBagan Balika Vidyalaya, Ushangini Balika Vidyalaya, Indumati Girls High School, and Ganges Gurukul.
